Carrier apparatus



March 12, 1946- J. E. GORRELL ET AL CARRIER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25,1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 12, 1946. J E GORR ELL ET AL 2,396,368

Q CARRIER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1945 A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar.12, 1946 CARRIER APPARATUS John E. Gorrell, Newton Center, and Albert S.

Thyberg, Melrose, Mass. said Thyberg assignor to said GorrellApplication January 25, 1945, Serial No. 574,604

10 Claims.

' This invention relates to apparatus for lifting and transportingobjects of the general sort which are adapted to rest on a floor or'thelike. More a particularly it provides apparatus which has specialutility for the safe and eflicient handling of oxygen cylinders and thelike where extreme care is required to avoid any possibility of the capor closure becoming broken, or disengaged accidentprovides safety forthe person handling the object as well as for the object itself.

Oxy en cylinders ordinarily have capacity for holding either one hundredten or two hundred twenty cubic feet of oxygen gas, and have shape whichgives to them a general top-heaviness when standing on end. Their highcenter of gravity renders them generally unstable and easy to tip over.Charged cylinders constitute a hazard wherever they may be lest one beaccidentally tipped over and its valve broken or opened in case the capcomes on. They constitute a still greater hazard When being lifted andcarried from place to place as is requisite in hospitals and likeinstitutions wherein the cylinders frequently must be transported from astorage space to the bedside of a patient.

Prior devices for handling and transporting oxygen cylinders have beenin the nature of hand trucks which are subject to being accidentallytripped over With one or more cylinders therein, and which do notprotect the cylinders against accidentally being banged against a wallor door jamb in the course of transportation of the cylinders. Also theloading and unloading of the prior trucks have involved a tilting of thecylinders in getting them on and off the truck with danger that acylinder may slip and fall or tip over with the attendant danger ofserious consequences.

It is among the objects of our invention to provide apparatus which isadapted to be moved into straddling relation to an object to be lifted,and to be closed "around the base of the object while the objectcontinues erect and resting on end on a floor or the like, followed byan elevating of the object within the apparatus to lift it clear of thefloor preparatory to movement of the apparatus with the object erecttherein to a desired destination.

Another object is to provide a carrier apparatus having hinged basesections closable around an object to be transported, the base havingwheels at its under side elevating the base only relatively little abovethe floor, and the base having relatively large area obviatingpossibility of tipping over of the base.

A further object is to provide a carrier apparatus having hinged basesections closable around an object to be lifted and having meansoperable to secure the base sections closed about the object andsimultaneously operable for elevating the object within the apparatuspreparatory to a movement of the apparatus with the object supportedtherein.

Still another object is to provide a carrier apparatus having hingedbase sections closable around an object to be lifted and having objectembracing means rising from the respective base sections for maintainingthe object against tipping relative to the base.

A yet further object is to provide hinged base sections in a carrierapparatus and means for closing said sections around an object to belifted and for elevating the object within the closed sections, andhaving means operable to open the base sections only after said objecthas been lowered within the apparatus.

It is, moreover, our purpose and object gen- ,erally to improve uponprior carrier devices, es-

pecially carrier devices for transporting oxygen cylinders and the like.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carrier apparatus embodying featuresof our invention, and having an oxygen cylinder mounted therein;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the base sections inopen condition;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view on line 55 of Figure 4,showing a cylinder-engaging lifting element in its lowermost position;

Figure 6 is a similar View showing the lifting element elevated;

Figure 7 is afragmentary detail sectional view on line 'l--'I of Figure4, showing a different lifting element in its elevated position;

Figures 8 and 9 are fragmentary detail sectional views of the latchmechanism for the hin d. base sections; and i Figure 10 is a fragmentarydetail sectional view on line II0 of Figure 2, but with the operatinghandle elevated.

Referring to the drawings, our improved carrier apparatus as shown isdesigned especially for handling oxygen cylinders, although the variousfeaturesthereof may be embodied in a carrier capable of lifting andtransporting objects of different shapes and character without departingfrom the basic inventive principles involved. I

In the embodiment illustrated, the base is generally circular in formand comprises the two sections I0, I2 hinged together at I4. Each of thebase sections has a central semi-circular cut out I6 which. togetherdefine a central circular hole extending through the base, within whichthe lower end of an oxygen cylinder I 8 is adapted to extend loosely.The base, when its sections are closed together as in Figs. 1 and 2,constitutes a relatively large-area disk having swivelled casters 20 onthe under side of the sections on which the apparatus readily may bewheeled from place to place. Preferably the casters are of size toelevate the base only a small distance above the floor. If desired,strips 22 of rubber or other resilient material may be provided on theperipheries of the base sections to serve as bumpers.

A series of radial slots 24 are distributed around the central openingI6, I6, two such slots being shown in each base section, disposedequi-distant from each other when the base sections are closed together.Mounted for vertical bodily movement in each slot 24 is a liftingelement 26 provided at its lower end with an inwardly projecting finger28 for engaging under the lower end of an oxygen cylinder and at itsupper end witha guiding head 30 adapted to engage against the cylinder alittle above the base to guide and steady the cylinder in the apparatus.Also rising from the base sec- ..tions are the cylinder retainingelements 32 which engage relatively high up around the cylinder when thebase sections are closed together, the generally vertical portions 33thereof constituting handles which may be grasped to push or pull theapparatus from place to place.

Referring to Fig. 4 and the detail views, it will be observed that eachbase section as represented comprises a top plate 34 having the outerand inner depending flanges 36, 38, respectively, the two flanges beingconnected at opposite sides of the central cut out I6 of each section bythe connecting flanges 40, 42. Conveniently, the flanges may be piecesof strap iron shaped to the contour of a plate 34 and secured by screws44 or the like to lugs or bosses 46 on the under side of each plate 34.With this construction, the previously mentioned radial slots 24 may beformed as radial grooves in the plates 34 and the inner strap ironflange 38 constitutes the inner wall of the slots 24. Also the innerflanges 38 of the base sections are notched as at 48 from the loweredges of the flanges upward, adjacent each slot 24, so that the lowerportions of the lifting elements 26 can project through the notches 48,each being urged downward by a spring 50.

The-mechanism for operating the lifting elements 26 and for latching andunlatching the base sections I0, l2 conveniently is located between theouter and inner flanges 36, 38 on the under sides of the base plates 34.Any of various operating mearis may be employed, and the particularmechanism herein'shown and described is a representative mechanism whichis both simple and effective so that any person of ordinary intelligencecan readily and safely control and operate the carrier for handlingoxygen cylinders or other comparable relatively heavy objects.

As shown, the latch lever 52 for the base sections is pivotally mountedat 54 on a plate 58 which itself is pivotally mounted at 58 on the underside of a base plate 34, adjacent the connecting flange 40 thereof, onthe side remote from the hinge I4. The hook arm 60 of the latch leverextends through a slot 62 in the connecting flange 40, and a lightspring 64 constantly urges the latch lever counter-clockwise about itspivot, in Fig. 4, with a stop pin 66 limiting its counterclockwisemovement. The corresponding connecting flange 40 of the other basesection has a slot 68 therein for reception of the hook arm 60 of thelatch lever when the base sections are closed together, the spring 64urging the hook arm into latching engagement with a wall of the slot 68.The latch lever has a slot I0 therein and the bent end I2 of anactuating rod I4 extends through the plate 56 and engages in the slot I0so that a pull on rod 14 will swing plate 56 clockwise about its pivot58 and will ensure that latch lever 52 will be positively pulled out oflatching engagement.

The opposite end of actuating rod 14 is pivotally connected at 16 to adisk 18 which is secured on the lower end of a rock shaft which extendsupward through the base plate 34 and axially within the tubular standard82 which is secured on the upper side of the base plate and hassubstantial vertical extent upward from the base.

The upper end of the rock shaft 80 extends out through the upper end oftube 82 and has fixed thereto a head piece 84 which has a bearing onbearing element 86 which is fixed on the upper end of tubular standard82. An operating lever 88 is pivoted at 89 on the head piece 84 of therock shaft by means of which, when the lever is in horizontal position,the rock shaft may be rocked to move the latch lever 52 into and out oflatching position and to swing the base section I2 about the hinge I4for opening and closing the base sections. When the base sections areclosed together and latched, the initial motion of rock shaft 80 rotatesthe disk I8 thereon clockwise in Fig. 4, thereby to release the latchdue to clockwise swinging of plate 56, pulled by actuating rod I4.Further rocking movement of rock shaft 80 in the same direction swingsbase section I2 about its hinge through the medium of a second actuatingrod 90 which has one end pivotally engaged in a short slot 92 in disk 18and its other end extending loosely through the connecting flange 42 ofthe base section on which it is mounted and pivotally anchored at 94 onthe corresponding connecting flange 42 of the other base section.

The particular mechanism herein disclosed for elevating the liftingelements 26 comprises four horizontally disposed rock shafts 96, 98, I00and I02, each mounted in suitable bearings at the under sides of thebase plates 34. The rock shafts 96, 98 are arrangedin convergingrelation on opposite sides of the disk I8 and each of these shafts has acam element 91, 99 at its end which is adjacent to disk I8 in positionfor the two cam elements 91, 99 to be engaged simultaneously by a pairof pins I04 which are carried on a slide member I06 on tubular standard82 and which depend therefrom in parallelism and slidably projectthrough the base plate 34. As represented, the cam elements 91, 99 areend portions ofthe respective rock shafts 96, 98, bent approximately atright angles to the respective rock shaft axes so as to underlie thedepending pins I04. Hence, a downward movement of pins I04 will rock theshafts 96, 98.

The other end of rock shaft 96 has a bent end cam element I'I disposedopposite a lifting element 26, and said element has a downward facingshoulder I08 thereon against which the cam element I0'I engages whenshaft 98 is rocked as previously described, thereby to cause elevationof the lifting element 28.

Similarly, the rock shaft 98 has a cam element IIO fixed thereonopposite a lifting element 26 for engaging the downwardly facingshoulder I08 of this element as shaft 98 rocks in-unison with rock shaft96. Hence, it will be obvious that depression of the pins I04 results insimultaneous rocking of rock shafts 96, 98 and simultaneous elevating oftwo of the four lifting elements 28.

The other two rock shafts I00, I02 are on the other base section,disposed in converging relation with adjacent ends of the two shaftsgeared together as at II2 so that both shafts will rock in unison. Theopposite end of rock shaft I00 has a bent end cam element IOI thereonset opposite the third lifting element 26 for elevating said element aspreviously described for the first two. Also, the rock shaft I02 has acam element I03 for coacting with the fourth lifting element, to liftsaid element.

Inasmuch as base section I 0, I2 must be free to open and close abouttheir hinge I4, we provide a breakable driving connection between therock shafts 98, I02 so that, when the base sections are closed togetherall four of the horizontally disposed rock shafts will be rocked inunison when- 1 ever the pins I04 are depressed. Each of rock shafts 98,I02 has fixed at its end which is toward hinge I4 a bevel gear II4projecting enough through an opening in the adjacent connecting flange42 so that the two gears II4 are brought into mesh whenever the basesections I 0, I2 are closed together.

Depression of the pins I04, to rock the shafts 96, 98, I00 and I02 andthereby to elevate the lifting elements 26, may be accomplished throughthe medium of an arm II6 pivotally mounted at II8 on the slide memberI06 and extending upward beside standard 82. The upper end of arm I I6is slidably retained in guided relation to a projection I on the bearingelement 86 at the top of the standard 82, the arm II6 having a socket I22 at its upper end for reception of a laterally projecting pin I24 onoperating lever 88 i when the lever is swung in horizontal position, in

direction to close the base sections. Then, with the pin I24 engaged insocket I22 of arm 6,. a downward swing of the operating lever 88 tovertical position will cause a downward movement of slide member I06 andthe pins I04 carried thereon.

In use of our carrier apparatus for transporting oxygen cylinders, theapparatus, with its base sections I0, I2 closed and latched together,may be wheeled on its casters 20 to any desired destination without anytilting of the base. Assuming that an oxygen cylinder is standing on endat astorage location in a hospital and is to be transported to thebedside of a patient, the apparatus will be wheeled to the storagelocation, as above described, by gripping the retaining elements 32 ashandles and either pushing or pulling the apparatus as may be desired.

At the storage location, the operator elevates operating lever 88 tohorizontal position thereby releasing the lifting elements 28 so thatthey may is shown dotted in Fig. 3, after which the lever 88 may beswung clockwise to close the sections I0, I2 around the cylinder, thefinal swinging movement of the lever causing latching of the sectionsand also bringing its pin I24 into socket I22 of arm H6. The closingtogether of the base sections will have caused the inwardly projectingfingers 28 of lifting elements 28 to engage under the end of thecylinder I 8, and a downward movement of operating lever 88 causeselevating of the lifting elements 26 and a lifting of the cylinderbodily thereon, without any tilting of either carrier or cylinder, andwith the cylinder safely retained and guided by the retaining elements32. The cylinder is safely and securely held erect a sufficient distanceabove the floor so that the apparatus may be easily and convenientlywheeled to a bedside without any danger of accidental tipping ordropping of the cylinder. The largearea base and the low center ofgravity eliminate the possibility of the apparatus tipping over. At thebedside, the cylinder may continue thus safely held while oxygen isbeing administered, or

the apparatus may be detached and withdrawn. to leave the cylinderstanding on end at the bedside. can be opened for withdrawal, theoperatin lever 88 must first be elevated to horizontal position to lowerthe cylinder to the floor, after which a swing of lever 88 will unlatchthe sections and then swing them open.

We claim as our invention:

1. Carrier apparatus comprising a sectional base Whose sections arehinged together and are openable for engaging around anobject to becarried and closable around said object, a plu rality of liftingelements mounted on thebase sections in distributed relationabout thevertical axis of the base, latching means for releasably retaining thebase sections in their closed together relation, an operating lever, andactuating connections between the lever and said latching means andbetween the lever and said lifting elements, said actuating connectionsincluding means for effecting raising and lowering of said liftingelements in response to predetermined movements of said lever, andincluding means for effecting latching and unlatching of the basesections in response to other predetermined movements of said lever, andstill other predetermined movements of said lever effecting opening andclosing of the base sections.

2. Carrier apparatus comprising a pair of rigid arcuate members hingedtogether and openable about their hinge for straddling an object to becarried and closable together about their hinge for engaging looselyaround said object, object lifting means mounted on said arcuate membersand adapted to engage under said object when said members are closedaround the object, an operating lever, and connections between saidlever and said object lifting means whereby the lifting means lift theengaged object within and relative to the arcuate members in response toa predetermined movement of said lever.

3. Carrier apparatus comprising a pair of rigid However, before the basesections I0, I2

arcuate members hinged together and openable about their hinge forstraddling an object to be carried and closable together about theirhinge for engaging entirely around said object, object lifting meansmounted on said arcuate members and reaching to positions to engage undesaid object when said members are-closed around the object, connectionsbetween the lever and said object lifting means responsive to apredetermined movement of said lever for lifting the engaged objectwithin and relative to the arcuate members, and means obstructing thesaid predetermined movement of said lever until said arcuate membershave been closed together.

4. Carrier apparatus for lifting and transporting an object standing onend On a floor, comprising a pair of base members hinged together andhaving area at least twice the cross-sectional area of the object to belifted and transported, said base members having wheel on their undersides elevating the base only relatively little above the floor and eachsaid member having a concave surface for fitting loosely aroundapproximately one-half of said object, object lifting means projectingbeyond said arcuate surfaces toward the floor and engageable under theend of said object on the floor, an operating lever for swinging saidbase member-s relatively on their hinge between open and closedpositions, and connections between the lever and said,object liftingmeans and actuatable in response to a predetermined movement of saidlever for lifting said object within and relative to the base sections.

5. Carrier apparatus comprising a base in the general form of a diskwith a central opening therethrough, said base comprising two sectionshinged edgewise together and openable and closable by relative swingingof the sections on their hinge, a latch for releasably securing saidsections closed, lifting means projecting into the central opening inthe base, an operating lever, latch releasing means responsive to apredetermined movement of said lever, and connections between said leverand said lifting means whereby a different predetermined movement ofsaid lever effects an actuation of said lifting means.

6. Carrier apparatus comprising a sectional base in the general form ofa disk with a. central opening therethrough, said base having over-allarea at least twice the area of its said central opening and havingcasters on its under side maintaining the base in slightly spacedgeneral parallelism with a floor, a hinge at the juncture of sections ofthe base on which a base section is swingable for opening the base sothat it can be wheeled into straddling relation to an object to becarried, means for closing the base sections together around the objectwith the object within the said central opening, lifting elementsdistriubted around the central opening and proaaaasas carried, said basebeing in the general form. of a large-area disk and having casters onits under side maintaining the base in slightly spaced generalparallelism with a floor, means for bodily lifting an object about whichthe base sections have been closed while the axes of the objec and thebase continue approximately stationary and while said base maintains itssaid general parallelism with the floor, and object retaining meansrising to a substantial height above the base and loosely engaging saidobject from opposite sides, said retaining means constituting a handleby which the apparatus may be wheeled from place to place.

8. Carrier apparatus comprising a base having hinged sections openableand closable for engaging loosely around an object to be carried, alatch for releasably securing the sections closed, lifting elementsvertically movable in the base and engageable under an object aboutwhich the base sections have been engaged, means operative to elevatesaid lifting elements only when said base sections are closed andlatched, and means operative to release said latch only when saidlifting elements are in their lowermost positions.

9. A carrier for lifting and transporting oxygen cylinders and the likecomprising a base having area several times greater than thecross-sectional area of an oxygen cylinder, and having a central openingtherethrough slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of an oxygencylinder, said base comprising two generally arcuate sections hingedtogether and openable for straddling an oxygen cylinder resting on endon a floor and closable about the said cylinder, a plurality of liftingelements engageable under the end of the cylinder as the base sectionsare closed .together, means for latching the sections closed, and meansoperable to actuate said lifting elements for bodily lifting thecylinder within the base only after the base sections have been latchedclosed, there being anti-friction means on the under side of the basefacilitating movement of the carrier from place to place.

10. A carrier for lifting and transporting oxygen cylinders and the likecomprising a base having area several times greater than thecrosssectional area of an oxygen cylinder, and having a central openingthereth'rough slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of an oxygencylinder, said base comprising two generally arcuate sections hingedtogether and openable for straddling an oxygen cylinder resting on endon a floor and closable about the said cylinder, a plurality of liftingelements engageable under the end cf the cylinder as the base sectionsare closed together, retaining elements rising to a substantial heightabove the base and engageable with the oxygen cylinder from oppositesides for maintaining a cylinder erect in the carrier, said base havingcasters thereon, and said retaining elements constituting handleswhereby the carrier may be wheeled from place to place, and means foractuating said lifting elements to elevatethe cylinder above the floorprior to a transporting movement of the carrier.

